In Response to Re: Theo to Cubbies nears completion according to ESPN : He's still under contract with the Red Sox, so I completely disagree with you. He wouldn't stay here in the sense that he would come back and be the GM, he'd get paid, but he wouldn't have a, or at least not the same, position. I don't see that happening though, because both sides want to get a deal done, but either way the Red Sox have a GM and the Cubs don't, so the Red Sox have the leverage if there is any.Posted by Skadude22

Theo Epstein is not the only qualified candidate to become general manager (or president) of the Chicago Cubs.

In Response to Re: Theo to Cubbies nears completion according to ESPN : Theo Epstein is not the only qualified candidate to become general manager (or president) of the Chicago Cubs. That's the Cubs' leverage.Posted by hill55

True, but the Cubs would look pretty foolish and disorganized if for some reason this deal fell through now.

The Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox are finalizing a deal that would make Theo Epstein the Cubs' president of baseball operations at some point Thursday, according to a baseball source.

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A source with knowledge of the negotiations said: "The two sides are on the 5-yard line." Major League Baseball already has told the Cubs that they can have a news conference Friday to introduce Epstein, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.

Sources confirmed to ESPNChicago.com and ESPNBoston.com that San Diego Padres general manager Jed Hoyer will be named Cubs GM a few days after Epstein's news conference.

Hoyer will be granted permission to leave when San Diego promotes senior vice president of baseball operations Josh Byrnes to vice president/GM, a source said. Byrnes was GM of the Arizona Diamondbacks when Padres owner Jeff Moorad was part-owner of that team. Sources said Moorad has wanted Byrnes to return to the job, even though he respected Hoyer, whom he hired in 2010.

The Red Sox aimed high in asking for compensation for Epstein. A baseball source told ESPNBoston.com that they initially asked for the Cubs young star shortstop Starlin Castro. Whey they were rebuffed, the Red Sox asked for arguably the Cubs best starting pitcher in Matt Garza.

A major league source told ESPNChicago.com that at one point Boston proposed that the Cubs take pitcher John Lackey's contract. Lackey has three seasons remaining on a five-year, $82.5 million contract. He was 12-12 with a 6.41 ERA in 28 starts for the Red Sox in 2011.

But the expected agreement will include Cubs minor leaguers, although not top prospects Brett Jackson, Trey McNutt or Matt Szczur, the source said. Cash will not be part of the compensation.

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The Red Sox would not confirm a deal is imminent. In fact, owner John Henry told the Boston Globe that a deal is "not close." Still, an official with one of the teams involved suggested it was possible an agreement has been reached, but that it would be unlikely for either the Cubs or Red Sox to make an announcement before the Red Sox review the medical records of the player or players they will receive.

A source told ESPNBoston.com that Epstein originally asked Byrnes to join him in Chicago, but Byrnes declined. Epstein then turned to Hoyer, his longtime friend and former assistant. Hoyer went to Moorad, told him of the offer from Epstein and said he would stay if the Padres gave him a five-year extension. Moorad, though reluctant to lose Hoyer, the source said, said he would not grant him the extension and told him he was free to take the Cubs job.

In an email to ESPNBoston.com late Wednesday night, though, Moorad said that the Cubs had not asked for official permission to interview Hoyer.

In another Cubs staffing development, ESPNBoston.com has confirmed that Padres assistant GM Jason McLeod will also join Epstein and Hoyer in Chicago.

There will be no compensation for Hoyer, a source told ESPNChicago.com and ESPNBoston.com. Moorad and Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts have become friends since the Ricketts family bought the Cubs in October 2009. Ricketts was in San Diego on Sept. 28, the last day of the regular season, and did not return with the Cubs on the flight back to Chicago. Ricketts met with Moorad and sat with him, Byrnes and Hoyer during the season finale.

Byrnes and Hoyer worked with Epstein in Boston before leaving for their new jobs. Hoyer took over as Padres GM in 2010 after Kevin Towers was fired. McLeod worked for the Red Sox in the scouting department for seven years before going to the Padres. One remaining piece missing from Epstein's original team of key advisors is Red Sox special assistant Dave Finley, who could also possibly be in play for Epstein in Chicago.

In Response to Re: Theo to Cubbies nears completion according to ESPN : True, but the Cubs would look pretty foolish and disorganized if for some reason this deal fell through now.Posted by Thesemenarecowards

And how would the Red Sox look with Theo Epstein still under contract?

The Cubs could score a PR coup with their fans if the owners stand up to any Red Sox attempt to extort excessive compensation.

In Response to Re: Theo to Cubbies nears completion according to ESPN : And how would the Red Sox look with Theo Epstein still under contract? The Cubs could score a PR coup with their fans if the owners stand up to any Red Sox attempt to extort excessive compensation. Nonetheless, the Red Sox and Cubs likely with reach a deal.Posted by hill55

It's never been a question of if but when...according to the article above it sounds like tomorrow it'll be officaly announced and then we can all debate the merits of the compensation...

This all seems to me like a non-story - unless they can't come to an agreement. And then what? The Cubs want Theo. Theo wants to go to the Cubs. JH is willing to let him go to the Cubs. If they can't come to an agreement on compensation, does Theo stay here? How awkward would THAT be?? It appears to me that the Cubs are holding all the cards here in that this has now gone so far that there's no turning back. Theo is going to the Cubs. The Cubs aren't willing to give up anyone we want in exchange, and we don't want anyone they have to offer. My guess is that the Sox are going to get stuck with the best looking dog in a very ugly litter of pups. Posted by S5

totally disagree! Sox hold the cards not the Cubs, Ricketts has to get this deal done now or he has egg all over his face. 2012 won't do it!Posted by jader

Jader, sorry but the Sox do NOT hold the cards in this. They could just say forget it and hire someone else for a year or someone permanently and we would be stuck with Epstink for god knows how long. With an idiot like Prune Face Henry owning the team, he could take Theo back in a whisk and everyone should know how toxic to the team that could be. Just get what we can get and get him out of town already. We are not getting Brett Jackson, nor are we getting Matt Garza. Just as long as we get rid of Epstein is more than enough for me.

totally disagree! Sox hold the cards not the Cubs, Ricketts has to get this deal done now or he has egg all over his face. 2012 won't do it!Posted by jader

In 2002 the Red Sox failed to land their first choice -- Oakland general manager Billy Beane -- and instead turn to little-known Theo Epstein, an up-and-coming baseball executive with no GM experience.

In Response to Re: Theo to Cubbies nears completion according to ESPN : In 2002 the Red Sox failed to land their first choice -- Oakland general manager Billy Beane -- and instead turn to little-known Theo Epstein, an up-and-coming baseball executive with no GM experience. Did the Red Sox end up with egg on their faces?Posted by hill55

The difference being Beane turned the sox down. Theo hasnt done the same.

everybody says the cubs farm system is weak and that may be true, but the websites that rank every mlb farm system has the cubs higher than the red sox and I see a decent amount of young prospects in the sox minor leagues.

In Response to Re: Theo to Cubbies nears completion according to ESPN : Jader, sorry but the Sox do NOT hold the cards in this. They could just say forget it and hire someone else for a year or someone permanently and we would be stuck with Epstink for god knows how long. Posted by seabeachfred

Epstein would be in Boston for no more than 1 year...the Sox have the leverage IMO. The Cubs have told their fan base that Theo is their man, how does it look if they say "he's our man, but he's not worth a legit prospect". I say wait out the Cubs.

He's gone but when will the trolls leave whose only song here is to bash him? What will they do from now on? Hill just might have to resort to being a loyal fan of his Mariners instead of spending his day on a Red Sox forum bashing the Red Sox. What a sad existence. Babe finally saw the light but Hill hangs on.

Some of the local beat writers have some inaccurate information regarding the Cubs minor League system. It is far from a waste land according to Baseball Prospectus. The 2011 Top 200 Prospects had Josh Vitters at #59 and pitcher Jay Jackson at #76. Compare that to Casey Kelly who the Sox traded at #72. We should let this play out before we go off the cliff.

Some of the local beat writers have some inaccurate information regarding the Cubs minor League system. It is far from a waste land according to Baseball Prospectus. The 2011 Top 200 Prospects had Josh Vitters at #59 and pitcher Jay Jackson at #76. Compare that to Casey Kelly who the Sox traded at #72. We should let this play out before we go off the cliff.Posted by Teach7719

Best of luck to your Cubs. Put on your thermal underwear. it's going to be a long cold winter in the windy City.

I agree with Teddy, don't let Theo go unless we fleece them with Garza or get them to take Lackey and his contract. This exit of Theo's is one of the most cowardly and misleading ever seen. He destroyed a team personnel wise and wants to be promoted after some of the worst decisions in baseball history.

He's gone but when will the trolls leave whose only song here is to bash him? What will they do from now on? Hill just might have to resort to being a loyal fan of his Mariners instead of spending his day on a Red Sox forum bashing the Red Sox. What a sad existence. Babe finally saw the light but Hill hangs on.Posted by UticaClub

Troll? I came on in February of 2005. If I'm a troll what the hell does that make you. You call those of us who bash Epstein and Francona trolls---as if they are not deserving of all the criticism we can throw at them. Epstein has driven this team into the ground with one dumb free agent signing after another, he has failed miserably to build a solid bullpen and now like a coward he wants to flee Boston after leading us into a disaster. Those of us who bash those two have plenty of ammunition to do it with. It is not just sour grapes.

If this reporting is true then the Red Sox should back out. BACK OUT. If Cubs do not want to give up anything of value then screw them and baseball tradition. We keep theo and let him clean toilets for the entire league. We can charge other clubs for his service. At least that is some compensation and a little payback for his bad deals. You folks who buy the $100 tickets should stop going and paying if management does not start operating as if they want to win something, anything!!Posted by teddybaseball009

You know Teddy, until this moment I firmly believed that we should just take what we can and just say adios to the toxic and rotten Epstein, but your take on the Cubs' farm system has jolted me. Maybe the Red Sox should do exactly what you suggest, but the fear is idiotic owner Prune Face would welcome Theo back with open arms. If, on the other hand, we take him back and tell him to just get lost somewhere in the ballpark with no power and no insight and no say in anything, well, that might be the ticket. I just don't want that bum to have anything to do with the Red Sox. Bad enough we have to dig ourselves out of the pile of garbage he put us in.

After Theo, Tito, Drew are gone I would be ecstatic if they took the Theo / Tito / Drew trolls with them. The forum would be a much better place without them. Have the Cubs sign Tito and Drew and have these trolls migrate to the Cubs forum.